“What’s Next for Housing Advocates After Louisiana v. Callais” Webinar Recap
Jul 20, 2026
By Tia Turner, NLIHC Project Manager, Our Homes, Our Votes
NLIHC's Our Homes, Our Votes nonpartisan campaign hosted its July 13 webinar, “What's Next for Housing Advocates After Louisiana v. Callais,” concluding the campaign's three-part webinar series focused on the implications of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision and the path forward for housing and civic engagement advocates.
Building on conversations from previous webinars, the discussion shifted from understanding the legal implications of Louisiana v. Callais to identifying concrete opportunities for action. Panelists explored how advocates can strengthen democracy by advancing state-level voting protections, organizing year-round, and building lasting civic power that extends beyond election cycles.
NLIHC Vice President of Strategic Partnerships & Campaigns Chantelle Wilkinson welcomed participants and reflected on the importance of sustaining momentum following the Court's decision. She celebrated recent bipartisan housing policy victories, including the enactment of the “21st Century Road to Housing Act,” while emphasizing that protecting democracy and expanding access to the ballot remain essential to advancing housing justice. Wilkinson encouraged attendees to continue preparing for the 2026 election cycle by investing in community engagement, voter education, and nonpartisan organizing.
Christina Das, Attorney at the NAACP Legal Defense Fund (LDF), opened the discussion by highlighting the growing momentum behind “State Voting Rights Acts” (SVRAs). She explained that while federal voting rights protections have narrowed in recent years, states have an opportunity to establish stronger safeguards that protect voters from discrimination and expand equitable access to the ballot. Das discussed how state voting rights legislation can provide additional legal protections beyond federal law, strengthen language access, improve election administration, and create new avenues for communities to challenge discriminatory voting practices. She encouraged advocates to view state-level policymaking as an important strategy for advancing voting rights in the wake of Louisiana v. Callais.
Waikinya Clanton, Mississippi State Director for the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), built on those themes by discussing what successful civic engagement looks like on the ground. Drawing from organizing efforts across Mississippi, Clanton emphasized that meaningful democracy work requires long-term investment in relationships, trusted local leadership, and sustained community education. She encouraged organizations to move beyond transactional election-year outreach by creating year-round opportunities for residents to learn about their rights, participate in local decision-making, and build leadership within their own communities. Coalition-building, community trust, and consistent engagement, she noted, remain essential to strengthening civic participation.
The conversation concluded with Fenika Miller, National Field Co-Director for Black Voters Matter, who discussed strategies for sustaining civic engagement well beyond the 2026 midterm elections. Miller emphasized that building civic power is a continuous process rooted in community organizing, leadership development, and authentic relationships rather than short-term electoral campaigns. She encouraged organizations to meet communities where they are, support local leaders already doing the work, and invest in year-round organizing that connects voting to the everyday issues affecting people's lives, including housing, economic opportunity, education, and community well-being.
Throughout the webinar, speakers reinforced that protecting voting rights requires action at every level, from state legislatures and local governments to neighborhood-based organizing efforts. Panelists emphasized that housing organizations have an important role to play in educating residents, strengthening community leadership, supporting trusted messengers, and ensuring that historically underrepresented communities continue to have equitable access to participate in democracy.
The webinar concluded with audience questions focused on state advocacy opportunities, coalition-building strategies, and practical ways housing organizations can integrate nonpartisan civic engagement into their ongoing work. Participants were encouraged to continue leveraging partnerships, educating communities about their voting rights, and utilizing OHOV resources to strengthen civic participation ahead of the 2026 election cycle.
Find presentation slides here.
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The recording of the webinar can be found on NLIHC's YouTube channel here. The recordings for the 2026 webinar series are available here.
Additional resources shared during the webinar: